Restart
by Huggawugga2
Summary: A universe can follow a certain path, but what of the other branches? What of the people of those branches? Can someone truly be given a second chance? Alternate Continuity to the main story.
1. Apathy

Tsuna was completely and utterly a failure. Everybody at school ignored him, and his teachers honestly did not give a crap. His dad was missing, and his mother often forgot that she had reproduced. Tsuna was isolated from the rest of his community, constantly lonely and terrified of the unknown and harsh outside world. People were a mystery to him, and as such he had almost no social skills. The combined terror of the unknown world and the lack of social skills caused people to bully him, which in turn amplified his problems, creating a vicious cycle. In short, the unfortunate circumstances of his life had turned him into an apathetic yet neurotic boy.

And this, of course, is the candidate for the next Vongola mafia boss, and by extension, the ruler of a good thousand people.

* * *

**-CHAPTER ONE: Apathy -**

"Good morning. It is currently 8:00 am. The weather will be sunny, with a few clouds here and there. There has been no traffic accidents as of yet. Today is the anniversary of-"

"8:00? Shit! I'm late for school!"

Tsuna rose with a start. A beam of sunlight shot into his eye, causing him to quickly jerk to the side to avoid said beam but smashing his head against the wall. Clutching his already bleeding scalp, he flopped down onto his pillow again. Once counting the number of cracks in his ceiling became mind-numbing, rolled over to count the hairs in his carpet.

"What's the point? It's not like I really matter there anyway. And this carpet, it's just, so shaggy…" Tsuna's head spun from dizziness. "Ahahaha…." He managed to giggle slightly, "I could lie here all day…" He said, closing his eyes.

"…who, despite all his shortcomings, eventually was able to overcome his mental issues. Today, he would be turning 87. In other news, NATO has recently come to an agreement that-"

Tsuna reached over to his nightstand and clicked off the radio. He didn't particularly care what the world had in store today; he hadn't cared for the past 14 years of his life. Tsuna wasn't really one for change, especially this early in the morning. Cocooning himself into his blankets, he rolled over into his bed, making sure not to hit the wall this time. "Ahhhh," He yawned, "I'm going to take a rest day." He mumbled to himself half coherently.

"Hey, that's no way a mafia boss should act. Get your ass out of bed."

Tsuna snorted, and rolled over yet again. "Mom, I'm tired. I need rest. And I'm not a mafia boss, I'm just a-"

When he opened his eyes, his mother did not greet him.

Instead, he had to look downward for the source of the noise.

A baby.

A baby donning a suit and hat, complete with a gun in his right hand. A chameleon was perched on the rim of his fedora.

Tsuna sat up slowly.

_Damn, I must've hit my head pretty hard. _

"Get to school. I don't want the leader of an organization of thousands to have the intelligence of a middle-schooler."

_Ok. Baby can talk intelligently. This is getting pretty trippy. _

"And take a shower. Whatever you rolled around in yesterday is really starting to rot."

_And baby can crack insults. I don't remember kid's programs teaching them to do that…_

"And one more thing: I'm Reborn, and I am your tour guide to hell."

And with that, the baby tipped his hat, raised his gun, clicked it, and shot Tsuna point blank in the forehead.

* * *

The lights of Tsuna's rooms went in and out of focus. He could feel the blood flowing down his forehead, the salt in it burning his eyes. Slowly, he slid off his bed onto the floor, his eyes coming into level with Reborn's polished shoes. The room faded to black.

_I'm…going to die?_

Absolute darkness. He is standing in a room with no boundaries. He feels no pain, but no sensation of life or warmth.

_I….won't really be missed, I guess. _

Images appear before him. A gray-haired boy. A baby soldier. A man with horrible scars covering his body. A group of people surrounding someone. A ringed finger. Himself, surrounded by flames.

_Nobody will really grieve me._

A world at the mercy of one person.

_Nobody will remember my name._

A world destroyed.

_But still…._

A world renewed.

…_I think I want to live. _

His eyes burst open, and he stood up. He was filled with a renowned sense of life; a feeling of sheer power. His entire body shook with the power within him. It was exhilarating.

The energy seemed to ebb out of him after a minute, much to his disappointment. When it completely left his body, however, he did not feel the pang of exhaustion. In fact, he felt more refreshed than ever.

"What was that?" He said aloud. He turned around, expecting an answer from the baby.

To his surprise, the baby was gone.

"…What a dream, then," He said, scratching his head, trying to make logic of the whole situation.

He stood there for a few moments, trying to process what had just happened. When no answer came to him, he just shook his head and sighed.

"…I'd better get to school."

With that, he stumbled into the hallway towards the bathroom.

* * *

"A dying will flame that powerful, huh."

"Yes. He was able to resurrect within seconds. His will is quite strong considering who he is."

"….Hey, do you think we might be able to get it right this time?"

"Time will tell."

* * *

A/N: First "serious" fic, so reviews are always appreciated.


	2. The Beast's Eyes

**-Chapter 2: The Beast's Eyes-**

Despite the affair that had occurred, the rest of that morning was, for the most part, unremarkable for Tsuna. He took a shower (all while denying that he was doing so due to the jeer of that…_baby_), threw on his uniform, stole a piece of bread (where was his mother, anyway?) from the cabinet and grabbed his book bag from its hook. When he got to the door, he made sure to open it slowly, quickly scanning the front yard for homicidal infants. When he felt there were none, he took a step outside. He took another step. No headshots yet. Another. Still alive.

He continued on this way down the road to his school, constantly on alert for clicking noises, or even worse, gun fire. After taking 20 steps took 15 minutes, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Wait, that was a dream, right?" He said aloud, to no one in particular. "Nobody's going to shoot me. I am not going to die. I am not going to die." He repeated this mantra in tune to the pace of his run.

_I guess…To experience that feeling again wouldn't be so bad. I didn't actually die, did I? But still…_

Lost in his own thoughts, Tsuna crashed straight into a pole, hitting the exact spot when the bullet had entered. The pain caused him to fall backward, right onto the place where he smashed his head into the wall earlier that morning. He lay there, stunned partially from the fall, but also by his own absentmindedness. He clutched his head (both sides) and groaned.

_I'm such an idiot. Thank god there was no one to see me. Wait, where is everybody?_

Tsuna lifted his head enough to take a look at the clock that rested on the arch of the school gates.

_Two hours late. I guess it's better than not going. And maybe, maybe I'll see her…_

Kyoko. There was something about her that Tsuna found fascinating. Of course, she was pretty, not to mention popular, but that there was something familiar about her, something that was comforting in her, that is what made her attractive. It was to be expected, after all. She was the only one who ever cast him a glance, the only _girl _who considered him worthy of existence. There was something _knowing_ about those glances. It was as if she already knew him.

_And now I'm 15 more minutes late. Eh. I suppose it doesn't make a difference._

He slowly rose up, taking care not to hit his head again. Once he had completely up righted himself, he entered the school building.

* * *

"…So class, in this case, "x" would equal 6. Taking that into consideration…"

The rest was drowned out by Tsuna's own thoughts. From his position in the seating arrangement, he had a good view of the back of Kyoko's head, only averting his glance when she turned backward to talk to her friend. When Kyoko's head was not occupying Tsuna's gaze, the view outside the window was an okay substitute. It was while Tsuna was intently studying the petals of a particular rose that the teacher said something that for once caught his attention.

"Today, while he's a little late to school, we get our overseas student back! Please welcome Hayato Gokudera!"

A gray-haired boy shuffled into the room. He was tall, but was slouching, as if to make himself seem less approachable. A scowl was plastered onto his face, and his green eyes narrowed into slits. He was pale and skinny, but by no means did that make him less intimidating. He had the aura of an animal in a zoo; trapped in a civilized place but not without wild instincts.

The fear in the room was tangible. Nobody dared to neither make more nor sound, lest they let the leopard out of the cage.

Gokudera didn't even bother to say hello. He walked past the teacher's offered hand toward the desk in the very back corner of the classroom. As he passed by, Tsuna didn't even dare glance. He could feel a murderous glare on his back anyway.

It took a few more moments before the heavy air in the room cleared, and the lesson continued as normal. Tsuna had moved onto a daisy to study.

* * *

"Hey, you. You're Tsuna, right?'

The sudden outburst shocked Tsuna. It was the end of the school day, and the setting sun had cast long shadows into the empty classroom. He was halfway out the classroom door when the voice came from the back corner. From his peripheral vision, he could make out that new kid lighting up a cigarette.

He breathed in, and then exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Are you deaf? I'm asking if you're Tsuna."

Tsuna could only manage to nod.

"You son of a bitch." Gokudera rose up from his seat, his fists clenched in anger. "There's no way in hell a scrawny little bastard like you can be the next boss! That kid told me you might actually be capable!" He practically leapt onto Tsuna, pinning him against the wall next to the doorway. "You sure as hell have some attitude to even consider leading us!"

Tsuna couldn't move. The fact that a person was this pissed off and this close to him was absolutely petrifying. His legs were paralyzed; his arms were glued to the wall.

However, it was at this time that he got a good look at Gokudera's eyes.

They were certainly unordinary, to say the least. Bright green was not a common color, of course. But there was something else. It was the same feeling Tsuna experienced when he looked at Kyoko. Within the depths of those eyes, a sudden feeling of familiarity and comfort hit him.

Tsuna had to fight off an unexpected urge to hug the boy.

"L-leading you? I, I never wanted to lead anybody! If it's about that mafia stuff then I really don't-"

"SHUT UP!"

He shifted his grip from Tsuna's arm to his neck. Those green eyes Tsuna was so closely studying were mere centimeters away from his own. Tsuna quickly averted his gaze.

"You bastard! Don't say pansy shit like that! Just looking at you here so scared makes me sick! I am no way in hell going to submit to someone like you!" He spat. In a single motion, he picked Tsuna up by the throat and threw him on the ground. "We're going to settle this shit. Be at the park at 6:00, or I'm coming to your house instead." He turned around. "I would fight you here, but the damn 'committee president' would kill me for damaging school property." Gokudera stomped out the door and down the hallway.

* * *

Tsuna didn't even know why he was doing this.

He had no intention of keeping his apparent "leader" title, no desire to fight, no want to make enemies, and no reason to even care at all.

Then why did he feel absolutely compelled to go through with this?

That baby's words-what was his name again? Rebuild? Rebirth?- made little sense to Tsuna, so why did he feel that he was the reason that he was going to fight? Why did that brief encounter drive Tsuna to do something, that under ordinary circumstances, he would even dream of doing? He felt as if he were a puppet being dragged along by invisible threads.

The sun was almost completely set. Tsuna was sitting on a swing, slowly rocking himself back and forth, dragging his feet in the sand under him. It was almost silent, with the occasional bird making a last call for the night. The wind blew up occasional gusts, disrupting the stillness every time they did so.

It was due to these gusts that Tsuna failed to notice Gokudera running up from behind him.

The brown haired boy didn't even have time to get off the swing. Gokudera tackled him from behind, pinning him down on the sand below. Through repeated blows to the face, Tsuna could only make out "Little bastard!" and "Not worthy!" of the words that were being screamed out by his attacker.

Gokudera had to pause briefly to take a breath, but that was just enough time for Tsuna. With all the speed and strength he could muster, he grabbed the other boy by the shoulders, and pushed him over, rolling himself over on top of him in the process. Using his hands as supports, he pushed himself off the ground and freed himself from Gokudera's grasp. He turned to run.

He sprinted through the abandoned playground, desperately looking for something to defend himself with. All the trees were outside the fence (unlocking the latch of the gate would take too long), so no branches. All the metal rods were firmly attached to the play structures.

_Shit, shit, shit._

Gokudera was gaining speed on him. Tsuna was not fit. His hard breathing told him he had little time left.

Tripping over a left-behind toy, Tsuna fell onto a concrete walkway. He attempted to use his hands to break the fall, but Gokudera was on him in a flash. Using his arm to hold down Tsuna's neck and his knee to (painfully) force down on Tsuna's groin, he kept him pinned to the ground. Again the blows started, but this time Gokudera had increased his attacking range to Tsuna's chest as well as his head. Tsuna was completely helpless.

Fading in and out of consciousness, Tsuna looked up at his assailant's eyes. He saw nothing but a wild animal in them, full of hatred and rage.

And fear?

Tsuna closed his eyes.

_He's going to kill me._

_I'm scared._

_I'm terrified._

_I don't want to die I don't want to dieIdon'twanttodieIdon'twanttodieIdon'twanttodie_

…_.Help me!_

_Somebody please!_

_Anybody!_

_Kyoko!_

_Reborn, save me!_

**Bang.**

The loud crash of a gunshot broke the air.

Tsuna felt the blood flow down his forehead yet again.

His mind went to a blank. The pain was gone, and he was in that dark room again.

_My feelings haven't changed_

_I still…_

_I still want to survive._

_No matter what._

The incredible warmth spread through his body again, the pain of his wounds replaced by the feeling of sheer power. He was alive again.

His eyes burst open to meet the terrified green eyes that were looking down from above.

Gokudera leapt off the brown-haired boy. "What…what the hell?" He managed to stutter out.

Tsuna said nothing.

Almost instantly, Gokudera was hit in the stomach by Tsuna's fist. It sent him flying backward into the fence, smashing his head against one of the railings in the process. He struggled to get up, but Tsuna was on him in a flash. He grabbed Gokudera's head in his hand, and grinded it against the railing, finishing it off by throwing him to the ground. A swift kick from the smaller boy threw him onto the concrete again. Tsuna leapt on him, smashing any part of Gokudera that he could get his hands on. He tore his hair out, bit him, scratched at his eyes, _anything_ to subdue him.

Tsuna felt nothing as he beat the life out of him. He was completely detached from the situation. There was no anger in him, only the overwhelming feeling of the need to win. The feeling of needing to do this to survive.

"…Tsu..na… Please…I'm sorry…stop…"

Tsuna froze.

"You win. I…don't want to die here."

Tsuna once again looked down at Gokudera's eyes. They were red from his attacks, but the terror was still clear in them.

"I'll…I'll follow you. I'll do anything you say, I promise you! Please! Don't kill me!"

The feeling of detachment faded. Once again, Tsuna was there, pinning this broken, mangled person down to the ground.

"Please..."

Tsuna stood up. He barely knew this person. He knew nothing of him outside of insults and fighting. He could kill this person in mere seconds, and it would make little difference to his life.

Then why did he feel like crying?

"Gokudera."

The gray-haired boy had up righted himself to a sitting position. He looked up through red eyes. "…Yeah?" He said tentatively.

"I accept your offer." Tsuna said quietly.

For a moment, Gokudera did nothing. He looked down at the pavement, the blood from his wounds dripping onto the ground. After a moment's deliberation, he managed to speak.

"Thank you, Boss."

"Don't call me that."

It came out so fast Tsuna was surprised at himself. Gokudera looked up with shocked eyes.

"I don't… Just, call me Tsuna, okay?"

He turned around.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble." He said quietly. "Go treat your wounds." He offered his hand.

Gokudera took it after a moment's time. Tsuna avoided his gaze.

He watched as the gray-haired boy turned away from him and walked away, through the gate, down the road and out of sight.

"It's hard, isn't it? Your first fight."

Tsuna slowly turned around to meet the gaze of Reborn, sitting on the concrete wall a few feet behind him. He was swinging his legs back and forth absentmindedly, looking up into the almost completely dark sky.

"You obviously have power. Gokudera's actually known as a powerful fighter, even without weapons. I could tell he was impressed with your strength." He said.

Tsuna was silent.

"That sort of power can be tamed into something good, you know. You know you have the ability to be something great."

Silence.

"The mafia world right now… It's in chaos. Much worse things are ahead, and we need power like that to combat the hardships ahead of us."

Tsuna clenched his fists.

"And what does this have to do with me? Why should I care about this mafia world, a world that I'm not a part of? You…You've told me nothing! What do I have to do with this? What are you shooting me with? In fact, why are you shooting me? And who the hell are you anyway? Tell me, what the hell is going on?"

Tsuna was breathing heavily. It was not often that he got mad at anything. Reborn could tell.

He sighed in exasperation. The baby lifted himself up into a standing position on the concrete wall, almost at eye level with the boy.

"You see Tsuna, the truth is…."

* * *

AN: Basically, I'm going to be following the order in which the characters are introduced in the manga, so sorry if it seems like they're all being introduced neatly one by one. Unfortunately, some (relatively minor) characters will not be included (such as Longchamp), because I don't want this story going off on tangents. Right now is a lot of character and plot set up, sorry. :/ As always, reviews and questions are welcomed and appreciated!

Next chapter: Kyoko and Yamamoto! :D


	3. And so he longed for an embrace

**-Chapter 3: And so he longed for an embrace-**

It was completely dark out. The sun had long since set, and the stars were already shining bright in the inky blackness of the sky. The sliver of the moon that remained gave just enough light to illuminate the park that Tsuna sat in.

The deafening silence rung in his ears. He was sitting on the very wall that the baby had stood as he told him this…this… Well, he didn't really know what to call it. He had been glued to that spot for hours, trying to comprehend what had just been revealed to him. It was all so abstract, so absolutely ridiculous. And yet, in some deep and unknown part of him, it made complete sense.

* * *

"_The truth is, Tsuna, you are a mafia boss."_

_The baby said it as if there was no other truth in the world; that this fact above all others was the most vital. His conviction, however, just made Tsuna laugh, surprising himself. _

"_Haha…Mafia boss? Don't tell me you were serious that last time that you-"_

"_I am dead serious."_

_The baby's expression changed from that of attempted light -heartedness to impatience and seriousness. He slightly tilted his fedora downward, shielding his eyes from Tsuna's gaze. _

"_You really have no idea of the gravity of the current situation, do you?"_

"_O-Of course I don't! I know nothing, and if knowing something means getting into more fights like this, then I want to keep it that way!"_

_Tsuna yelled that louder than he expected himself to._

"…_I wish I could give you a choice, Tsuna."_

_From what Tsuna could see of Reborn's face, he saw a look of sheer sadness and regret._

"_This world… It isn't what it seems. It's a cruel, harsh place that will attack you with no mercy. It's full of people with no morals who will stop at nothing to kill you, even just for a laugh. Make a wrong move and you will die, or worse. I've seen it happen time and again to good people who don't deserve it. Going through this world without any knowledge of it is practically suicide. Will you let me explain?" _

_Whether it was the baby's speech, the sudden change in temperature or the rising sickness in Tsuna's stomach, something had changed the atmosphere completely. Tsuna could only nod. _

"_Again, you are a mafia boss. More accurately, you are the heir to the title of a mafia boss. The organization that you are to rule over is called the Vongola Family. Is this clear?"_

_Tsuna slowly nodded._

"_Each boss has six guardians that are to help the boss rule. Each of them has a certain elemental attribute to their dying will flame that affects their role."_

"…_dying will flame?"_

"_Inside of all of us, there is a power than can be used to fight. It manifests from our soul, and therefore reflects the innermost part of us. This is called a dying will flame. It's what brought you back to life, Tsuna."_

"_I…I was dead?_

_That dark room with no walls flashed into Tsuna's mind. A faint memory of that incredible feeling quickly jolted his muscles._

"_Yes. I shot you with a 'dying will bullet', a bullet specifically designed to unlock this power from within you."_

_Tsuna was silent. Combined with the pain from his wounds, this sudden revelation of so much was overloading the boy's mind. "I…really…I don't understand." He managed to stammer out._

_Reborn was quiet for a few moments. He looked up from under his hat, only to find that Tsuna's gaze was fixed on the ground. _

"…_It's okay. You don't have to understand it all right now."_

_His expression changed again to false cheerfulness. "We don't have much time, but I supposed unloading all of this on you at once wouldn't be healthy. Go home and get some rest." He said animatedly. And with that, the baby jumped over the wall and out of sight._

_

* * *

_

Tsuna looked toward the pitch-black sky. Thousands of stars looked back at him, and that sliver of moon looked like it was half-heartedly smiling at him. He managed to crack a small grin. "Damn, everyone's pretending to be cheerful for me…" He said out loud, "I must be pretty special."

"Mafia boss". "Cruel world". "A power inside us". These phrases floated around in his mind over and over, just drawing meaningless circles within his head. "How am I supposed to understand all this so quickly and why do I not have much time to do so?" He asked the sky.

When no divine answer was given to him, Tsuna resigned. He jumped off the wall onto the ground, and headed through the gate back toward his house.

* * *

It was half past twelve when Tsuna woke up the next morning, after a long night of waking up every hour or so. Deciding that since he was too late for school anyway, today would be an off day. His mind still was wrapped around the previous night's events, although now they were even more confusing and muddled due to his fitful sleep. His room was a mess, he was starving, he needed a shower and he had to become a mafia boss. It was not looking to be a good morning.

_Where IS mom, anyway? _He thought, but he pushed that out of his mind, the space being occupied off more important things. He rolled out of bed, landing on a stray hairbrush.

_Another great sign_, he thought while clutching his aching foot. Hopping on one leg, he managed to get down the hall and to the shower. Slowly but surely, he was able to maneuver himself in using only his right leg. As he let the water fall over him, his mind again strayed to the conversation.

_There is a flame within me that I can fight with. Is that what happened in the fight with Gokudera? I didn't feel like I was on fire… _He scrubbed more shampoo into his hair. _And that morning, it was the same thing. _

Again, the image of the black room flashed into his mind's eye.

_Was I really dead for a while? _

Tsuna became so lost in his thoughts once again that he failed to notice the doorbell ringing.

* * *

"Maybe he's not home?"

She didn't want to seem rude, but Kyoko was a worried about that boy. He often skipped school, and of the times he did come, his attention was lacking and his grades were atrocious. Not to mention the stress that she knew he had to experience outside of school. A house visit was the only way to know that he was okay.

_I have to make sure…._

She hesitated again before ringing the doorbell. Again, no answer came. After a moment's wait, the red-haired girl knocked on the door a few times. "Tsuna, are you home?"

Tsuna had just stepped out of the shower when he heard the knocking. "It's about time mom got home. Where has she been?" He said to himself, slightly annoyed. Using a towel to dry himself off, he reached for the sink counter, where he usually left his clothes. _Must have forgotten them back in my room, _He thought, frustrated at himself for being so absentminded again. He wrapped the towel around his waist. "I can't come to the door, mom. Let yourself in." He called out.

* * *

It was hard to hear, but Kyoko could make out "Let yourself in." "So he is home!" Kyoko mused out loud. She grabbed the doorknob, and to her slight surprise, she didn't need a key to make the door open. _Isn't he worried about burglars? _She thought anxiously.

Stepping inside the house, she was greeted by a spotless house. This surprised her. Tsuna didn't seem like one to keep his house clean. _It's good to know he appreciates a clean house now! _She smiled to the idea.

Scanning the room, she saw no sign of him. _He must be upstairs, _she thought. Careful to not mess any part of the immaculate clean room, she began to walk up the steps.

* * *

Tsuna had finally finished brushing his teeth when he heard the footsteps coming up the stairs. _I should tell her that I want curry for lunch_, he thought while listening to his rumbling stomach. Holding his waist-towel up, he opened the door and walked into the hall. "Hey mom, could you-" was all he managed to get out before he heard an embarrassed squeal.

He turned around, and staring directly at him was Kyoko.

Tsuna suddenly remembered that it was a Saturday.

The world seemed to freeze. For a few moments they just stared at each other. Tsuna's entire body turned to a tomato shade. Kyoko's face was the exact same hue. "I'm so sorry!" was all she managed to utter before turning away to hide her red face.

Tsuna's attempts at saying anything were more incoherent babbles than words. "I, er, ahh, you er, a, mom, I didn't! um, I-I-I-It's okay!" Realizing that the towel was slipping downward, he practically dived into his room. Once he was behind a closed door, he was able to speak less disjointedly. "I-I thought you were someone else! I should be sorry!" He said. His face was practically buried in his knees.

There was silence on the other side for a few seconds. A jolt of fear shot through Tsuna when he heard "…I'll wait downstairs." come from behind the door. Quickly, he got up and threw some clothes on, avoiding the hair brush this time.

* * *

Despite them both being fully clothed, the two were still completely silent. After getting dressed, Tsuna had hastily set up some snacks on the kitchen table downstairs. Kyoko accepted graciously and sat down on one of the chairs. They were sitting across from each other, not even two feet away, but neither could bring themselves to speak. Even Tsuna's ears were still red. _I'm surprised she hasn't run away yet… _He thought.

It was almost as if he had said that aloud. "I came because I wanted to talk to you about something, Tsuna." She said, putting on a smile that resembled the one Reborn had worn the previous night. Tsuna looked up. "What's the matter?" He said quietly.

Kyoko's smile began to fade. She almost looked nervous about what she was going to say. "I-um, I know I'm going to sound weird for saying this Tsuna, and I know you don't know me very well but…." She paused for a few moments to look at Tsuna's face. Seeing that his eyes were trusting, she went on with more confidence.

"If there's anything bothering you, please tell me! I'm worried about you!"

Again Tsuna's face went red.

_Wait, there's no way she could know, right? I mean, the baby wouldn't have told her anything! I think…_

He looked down at his feet. This girl who he had admired from a distance for so long was talking to him, and showing concern for him, no less. Why did she care so much for some who mattered so little?

"Why would you be worried about me? I've never talked to you. I'm not worthy at all of-"

"That's not true!"

Tsuna's head shot up to meet Kyoko's brown eyes. They were shining, full of frustration and determination. It had come to his attention that he had actually never looked her straight in the eyes before. She was a pretty girl, with red hair, deep brown eyes and a general fair look about her, but there was something else. That feeling of familiarity came creeping back into him.

"You are very important, Tsuna! I just know it. Please, don't doubt yourself!" She yelled with clenched fists.

Tsuna was made silent by her words. This was all so sudden for someone to start caring with this intensity.

But for some reason, it didn't seem random.

Kyoko faltered a bit. The determination had faded from her eyes.

"I just…I just need to make sure of something."

"What is it?"

"Do the words 'mafia family' mean anything to you?" She said, avoiding Tsuna's stare.

A wave of fear and anger flooded over him. _So the baby did tell her! I don't want her to get involved in this! If what he said about the world being so dangerous is true, then-_

Suddenly, in the middle of his thoughts, images came to him. He wasn't in that black room again, but his vision was completely obscured by the pictures. He saw the man with the scars. Gokudera, next to him, laughing with his hand on his shoulder. A celebration of some sort. A tall boy smiling, with a sword in hand. A brown-haired girl crying. Kyoko, slowing nodding to something that he was telling her. A man completely in white, smiling pleasantly but deviously.

Six other people surrounding him, their faces filled with absolute trust and admiration.

A wave of nostalgia and sadness hit him like a ton of bricks.

"…Tsuna, are you okay?"

He came to realize that he had his elbows propped up on the table, with his head cradled in his hands. A splitting headache washed over him. He couldn't bear to look up. The tears in his eyes were just barely held back.

"…Yeah, they mean something to me. They mean a lot to me. " He managed to mutter sadly. "But, I don't know why."

Though Kyoko could not see it, she knew his face was contorted with pain. "I'm sorry to bring it up, but I had to make sure. I- I don't want to be left in the dark this time!"

"What do you mean?"

Kyoko slapped her hand over her mouth, an expression of regret immediately covering her face. This only lasted for a brief moment, however. Once again, she flashed a false smile.

"…It's nothing." She said quickly. "Hey, my brother is going to be worried about me. I should get going. Tsuna…Thanks for listening." She rose out of her chair, and motioned toward the door. He had a feeling that she was deliberately keeping her face out of view.

As she was headed out, Tsuna jumped out of his seat. "Wait, how do you know about-"

"Tsuna, it's…It's good to see you again. I'll talk to again soon."

And with that, she was out.

* * *

When she was safely outside, and had heard the footsteps indicating that Tsuna had returned upstairs, she sank down onto the ground outside the door. Thousands of emotions flowed into her at once, bringing tears to her eyes. Using her sleeve to wipe away those tears, she gave out a small laugh.

"So they aren't fake… These are true…"

She got to her feet once again, and began walking home at a speedy pace.

_I…I don't know if I should feel relieved or sad…_

_Oh Tsuna…I hope you can show that bravery again._

_

* * *

_

Again, Tsuna lay on his bed. His room was still messy, and he was still hungry as all get out. None of these things seemed to matter to him. Once again, his mind was elsewhere.

_How does she know about all this? Why does it all feel so familiar to me? Who were those people that I saw? I have to find out!_

These questions floated around endlessly in circular tracks around his head. He flipped on to his stomach, burying his face into his pillow.

_And where the hell was that baby?_

_

* * *

_

"I explained the situation to him. All things considered, he took it pretty well."

"Hey, that's a good thing. It might mean that we can win this time."

"Don't jump the gun too much. It's just a good sign. We can't be absolutely sure-"

"We've wasted two years of our lives because we weren't sure! I want to get through this and break this damn-"

"Good grief, you're still as annoying as ever. Make yourself useful and get us something to drink."

"Oi, I'm not your-"

"Hey! Quiet!"

"….Sorry."

"I think we are all putting too much expectation at once on this boy. We have to take this slowly."

"The sad fact is we don't have enough time to take it slowly…"

"….."

"Hey, we all know that. Now remains the question if it'll turn out differently this time around. We can only hope that he has that strength, huh."

* * *

A/N: I know, I know I said Yammamoto would be in this one but things changed… Sorry! ^^; He'll definitely be showing up soon.

Also, to make this clear, this is not a yaoi/het/yuri/whatever fic. Of course, that doesn't mean that there won't be couples, it just means that this story does not absolutely focus on romantic relationships. Although romantic and platonic relationships are important components of it, they're not the core basis of the fic. I think it would ruin all the fun if I just told you what couples (if any) would end up together in the end. Basically, everything is up in the air right now. Yeah, I'm cruel like that. :D

As always, reviews and questions are appreciated!

Next chapter: EXTREMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEE


	4. Associations

**-Chapter 4: Associations-**

_Okay, so use the tape to stick it to the skin, then wrap around the arm-Shit! Wait, I forgot to get the holding pi-damn, that's sharp! That freaking hurts! Leave it to the bastards to want us to bleed more._

Gokudera eventually gave up trying to wrap the bandage around his arm, leaving the wound exposed. The rest of his legs and arms were covered in a multi-colored assortment of band aids, pain creams and iodine. What was uncovered was an unpleasant mix of black, purple and blue. Sitting down was quite painful, as his tailbone was surely bruised, if not broken. His left eye was swollen, his right mercifully only scratched. He shuddered to think about getting anywhere near the bathtub with his body so torn up. That water, especially coming through the old and rusty pipes, could hurt like _hell _if you had so much as a paper cut.

_I need a goddamn smoke._

Through careful use of the table he was sitting at, he managed to lift himself up and stagger towards the overturned cardboard box that he kept his container of cigarettes. To his disappointment, it was completely empty.

_Shitty medical supplies costing way too freakin' much…_

His legs gave way, and he slumped to the floor. Turing himself around, he leaned his back against the box, and sighed. "…What a crappy night last night, huh." He said, not particularly caring if the other in the room heard him. He titled his head in order to look at him.

The kid was sleeping peacefully, for once. Curled up on the single mattress that acted as his and Gokudera's bed, his nap was notably absent of the usual muttering that came out of his mouth when he slept. He was small for his age, too small, and his hair was a giant ball of tangles and mess. His printed pajamas were his only clothes, and as a result, were stained from anything from food to dirt to blood. He looked about as underprivileged as his surroundings.

"Kid must've stayed up all night because of me…"

The previous night was a blur. The fight with Tsuna was hazy, and it didn't help that the fear of him had blocked most of it out of his memory. He remembered coming home to that damn kid jumping on the mattress/bed again, throwing whatever trash he could find against the opposite wall. The apartment was small and bare, and therefore a mess was not hard to make. Gokudera remembered yelling something, and the kid started crying again. This just made him even angrier, and therefore the kid became even more stressed. Gokudera didn't remember what happened to him after he blacked out onto the mattress.

The kid had a right to be stressed. It was no place for anyone to live, let alone a small child. Gokudera spent what little money he had on his uniform, food and cigarettes, so the place was barely furnished. A table sat in the middle of the room, with two lazily-made chairs at each of the ends. In the corner sat the mattress, with the overturned cardboard box that acted as a nightstand next to it, taking up about a sixth of the entire room. A small coil stove and another cardboard box full of instant meals was the closest thing they had to a kitchen. There was no bathroom; the closest one was on the next floor of the complex.

It obviously wasn't a great situation. Gokudera sometimes wondered why he even took the kid in.

_Sure, he was on the street starving, and even this dump was better than outside, but why did I take him in? Couldn't it have been someone else? _

But, he saw that flame (if he could call it a literal flame). It was unmistakable. The static that surrounded him was not a natural occurrence. There was something about the kid that Gokudera felt that he did not feel when he had encountered others of his flame type. That kid, that whiney, annoying, loud, arrogant kid, was obviously important, even if Gokudera did not understand the reason _why_.

But despite this power, his derelict living conditions and irritable (to say the least) roommate, the child was able to sleep like an angel. Gokudera let himself smile softly. He reached out gently towards the child's head. The kid flipped over, and Gokudera quickly took his arm back, scowling. _Dammit, it's not like I took him in because I was lonely or some shit! _He thought, frustrated. He whipped his head away from the kid. Whatever the situation, it was better than living in that… _place_.

He felt something under his right hand. It was a cigarette.

_Must've fallen out of the box earlier. Thank god._

His wounds were too painful to get up to light it on the stovetop. He placed it in his mouth, took a breath in, and pretended to blow out smoke.

"You better thank me for this later, Lambo."

* * *

"!"

_SMASH!_

The punching bag flew backwards, just barely scraping the wall. Its momentum threw it back again, only to be violently punched again by the boxer.

_BAM!_

This time it did hit the wall, leaving a small mark where hit had hit. From the look of it, the black smudge that had transferred from leather to plaster wasn't going to come out easily.

"Haha! Guess Kyoko's gonna have to clean this for me again!"

Ryohei took off his helmet, catching the swinging punching bag as it came back once again. He had been working out for the past two hours, as was his usual routine. He had to be in tip-top shape. After all, he was the president of the boxing club. Even if he didn't have any members _yet_, appearances had to be kept up. After all, the president of the disciplinary committee liked to "clean up" inactive clubs.

"Gahhaha! I'm sweaty to the extreme!" He said, flicking off the sweat of his brow with the back of his hand. "Better get to the bath before Kyoko has to smell me!" He began to walk up the stairs of the basement, when he heard the main door open and close softly.

_Kyoko was out?_ He thought, confused.

Stepping out into the main hall, he called out for his sister. "Hey, Kyoko!"

Slowly, the girl came stumbling in.

"Oi, Kyoko! Were where you? Did you leave when I was boxing? Also, have you-"

Ryohei stopped mid sentence when he saw his sisters red eyes. His previously grinning face fell.

"What's wrong? Did you get something in your eye!" He asked nervously. "I'll go get some eye drops to wash it out and-"

Kyoko had to giggle a little at her brother's obliviousness. "I don't have anything in my eye, brother. I was just visiting a friend, that's all."

"What kind of friend would make you cry?" He cried out.

"It wasn't his fault that-"

"HIS? IT'S A BOY? THAT'S A FRIEND? YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND? THAT'S MAKING YOU CRY? I'M GOING TO GO EXTREMELY PUNCH HIS BRAINS OUT!" He screamed valiantly. He turned and stomped toward to the door, but was caught by the sleeve by his exasperated sister.

"It's-It's not because of Tsu-him that I was crying. It's alright." She smiled, although there was a half-hearted air to it. "Brother, you can just get into the bath. I'll make you a protein-filled dinner like always, okay?"

Ryohei relaxed a little bit. "Kyoko…"

He smiled softly. Ryohei took a step towards his sister, but realized that he was too sweaty to touch her without it getting on her. He stepped toward the door, grabbed a jacket and pulled it over his shoulders. He took the necessary steps to get back towards Kyoko, and embraced his little sister.

"I extremely worry about you sometimes! Remember, if anything's bothering you, I'm here for you! And even if you can't tell me now, I'm always open, okay?" He said cheerfully.

Kyoko was still for a moment.

"Thank you…."

She returned the hug with twice the force, burying her face in his shoulder to hide the tears.

* * *

"The worst thing that you can do is let it consume you entirely."

Once again, Tsuna was in that park, with the flame burning bright inside him. The baby was up on the wall, carefully watching every move he made. It was almost dark, and the streets were empty.

Just him and the baby.

The baby had showed up at his house, asking for Tsuna to come train with him. For what reason Tsuna did not know, but he felt obligated. He wanted answers, and this would be the time to get them.

_Left. Right. Uppercut. Kick. Jump. Down. Right left. Punch._

Tsuna was covered in sweat. They had been training for hours, but he didn't feel tired. He felt he was going through the motions, as if this was all something he had done for hundreds of hours previously. His muscles knew how to punch, which way to kick most effectively, how to jump highest. It took little effort at all to keep the flame alive, let alone fight with it. Tsuna wasn't the most physically capable person, so this newfound strength pleased him, if only slightly.

It was just as frightening as it was pleasing, however.

"Reborn."

Tsuna stopped moving. Within seconds, the flame withered and died. He stood silent for a few moments.

"Why would somebody else know about the mafia?"

Reborn was taken aback. An expression of shock crossed his face before it was replaced by forced indifference.

"I have no idea."

"Liar."

Reborn sat down. Looking up at the sky, he managed to crack a smile.

"You were always able to see right through me. Always the perceptive one, Tsuna."

He looked at the boy again.

"What matters most right now is focusing on the task at hand. Gather your guardians. Train to use your flame most effectively. Protect from any outside threats. One thing at a time, Tsuna. Things will fall into place quickly."

Tsuna was sitting down as well. The pangs of exhaustion were starting to set in, now with the flame gone.

"I still don't understand at all…All this mafia business, it still feels like a foreign concept to me. I feel so close to these people I don't even know, with no reason as to why. I have this strange power that I just found out about that I have apparently already mastered, even if I've only used it for a day or two at most. I feel like I'm being pulled by the ankles through a path that I've already gone down."

Reborn was silent.

Tsuna looked at the baby with completely honest and sincere eyes. "Tell me, Reborn. Why do I have this feeling?"

"Sometimes we make mistakes. Big ones."

The baby's face was once again looking toward the sky. Only a sliver of the sun's light remained. The stars were peeking out, and the moon was already completely visible.

"But not all mistakes are unforgivable. It is possible for those people to redeem themselves, if they set what was wrong right. They might have to go through hell to do so, but…"

"I still don't-"

"You've been given a second chance, Tsuna."

The sun had completely set. Despite the moon shining brightly, Tsuna could not see Reborn's eyes.

There was so much to ask that he couldn't bring himself to request for answers.

The silence rang in both their ears, and the pressure of that silence is what made them unable to speak.

The baby jumped off the wall. Hiding his eyes, he walked past the stunned Tsuna.

"Your choices, even now, affect everybody. But those people that your choices influence are there for you."

Tsuna could only blankly stare at Reborn.

"You are never alone."

Tsuna blinked, and the baby was gone.

* * *

It was past sundown, and everyone was gone from the schoolyard. The boy in the batting cage had left a few minutes ago, and all was absolutely quiet. This pleased him.

Still, it would not hurt to make a few more rounds around the school, just to make sure that there truly was absolutely nobody in or near the school grounds after hours. It made logical sense to the boy; therefore, he went through with this thought of action.

Swiftly and silently, he checked every classroom, every hallway, every bathroom and closet. Around every corner he looked, even double checking the long shadows that were cast by the setting sun for hidden intruders. It was not until he moved outside that he discovered something that interested him.

He had already checked the other three sides of the school, and now was scanning the west side of the fence. The shadows had grown longer. He was just about to call it a day when he saw something in the distance from the corner of his eye.

It was a girl. She looked younger than him, from what he could tell. Pale and slight, she looked weak and undernourished. Her long dark hair was dull, and he couldn't see her eyes from the angle he was looking at her from. She walked in slow, weak footsteps, almost as if every step was took a great deal of effort for her. Her uniform was from a school not far from his own, but far enough to wonder why she was around this area. She looked completely normal.

He hated her.

From the moment he laid eyes on her, nothing but rage filled every cell in his body. His hands shook in sheer anger, and it took every ounce of restraint to keep from charging straight at her.

It was not the girl herself that he hated.

It was something about her. Maybe it was how she looked, the way she carried herself, or maybe just her general aura, but there was something about her that brought up feelings of hatred, of memories that he desperately wanted to forget. Feelings of great shame and lost pride slowly flooded his mind's eye.

This only made his rage grow ever larger.

The girl took no notice of him, however. She seemed to be preoccupied with an animal from across the street she was standing on, so much so that she didn't seem to notice any of her surroundings, really.

The animal seemed to be hurt. Tentatively, she began to walk across the road.

He could only look on with shaking hands.

She made no sound, not even a squeak when the car collided with her. Her body flew through the air, smashing into the ground in a contorted position after a blink of the eye. She lay still on the sidewalk, resembling a doll discarded by its owner. Blood covered the street, yet the car didn't even seem to notice, or care, and sped off. The red liquid continued to reach further across the street, slowly pouring into the storm drain.

It all happened within seconds, but to him it had felt like he had been watching it for hours.

A body near the school grounds was unsightly. He needed to clean it up.

He opened the gate, and walked out. Despite him only walking, it took little time to get to her. Slowly, he walked through the pool of blood towards the body, leaving footprints behind.

He didn't know why he was doing this.

He had hated this girl intensely just moments before, but now here he was, standing over her body, feeling nothing. That hated presence within her had disappeared suddenly.

She was still alive, even if only barely, he realized. Moving as carefully as possible, he gradually picked her up. She weighed almost nothing. He could feel her bones jutting into his skin. Her right eye was heavily damaged, and her stomach area was a mess of blood and tissue.

Slowly her right eye opened, and connected with his.

Seeing that deep violet eye made not rage, but another kind of emotion, an unknown kind of feeling, flowed into him. He felt power ebb from her. His thoughts scattered wildly.

_A cherry blossom tree, a body, blood, death_

_oh no please don't go please I beg of you_

_i hate you_

_don't die_

He shut his eyes before he was able to see if she did.

Taking care not to drop or look at her, he slowly rose up, and began walking as fast as he could to the nearby hospital.

It took him a while, but he made it without being noticed by anybody. Not that it would have mattered to him anyway.

With great care, he placed her on the doorstep, and knocked on the door forcefully. Before anyone could answer, he turned away and left as quickly as possible.

It took a while for him to realize it, but there was a noise quietly repeating endlessly in his head.

Laughter.

Not joyous laughter, nor maniacal. Just a small, self-satisfied giggle that went on and on.

_Kufufufufu._

Once again, Hibari closed his eyes tightly.

* * *

AN: Not much to say, other than sorry for the wait! Life got in the way.

As you can see, the order of the story is already different from canon, so don't expect every event to fall in the same sequence, m'kay?

As always, reviews and questions are appreciated!

Next chapter: Baseball!


	5. To Wander

**-Chapter 5: To Wander-**

Sometimes Yamamoto would just smile.

He didn't really need a reason. No, it was more of an appearance he felt the need to keep up, as if he was always trying to keep in character outside of the play. He was tall, handsome and popular. Smiling was expected of him. Frowning brought concern and questions; smiling elicited smiles back. Yamamoto did not want concern, and questions were definitely something to be avoided.

So, he smiled. Always.

Despite there being no one around due to the late hour, Yamamoto grinned while walking home from his daily baseball practice. He had swung for hours on end, making sure every strike was _absolutely_ perfect. He didn't want to let down his team, after all. He was freezing due to the combination of him being drenched in sweat and the cold night air, he was starving, and his arm felt as it was about to fall off, the heavy bat he was carrying not helping the soreness. A frown should have made its way across his face, if even only in the slightest. Still, appearances were appearances, your own feelings be dammed, so he kept up the smile.

Save for the occasional noise of a rustling bush, the night was quiet and still. The shriek of a car's tires had broken the silence once, but that was much earlier and to be expected in a fairly large town such as that. Yamamoto assumed it was around close to 10 o' clock, but he had forgotten his watch. It was incredibly light for 10, however, as the moon was so bright that the landscape was illuminated with blue light. That incredible light came with long shadows that stretched across the ground, making it seem as if the pavement was covered with shadowy outstretched hands.

Halfway through his walk, Yamamoto had gotten a feline companion. He didn't notice at first, but the soft clicks of claws on pavement eventually caught his attention. The cat was small, gray, and unassuming, but the condition of its coat and multiple notches in its ear said that it was a stray. He gave it a quick scratch under the chin and moved on. He was more of a dog person.

With every step he took, the night got quieter, it seemed. That occasional rustle of a bush was long gone, and he hadn't heard a car in what seemed like ages. Even the click of the cat's nails eventually reduced to almost nothing to his ears.

In this dead silence, time seemed like it had slowed down for Yamamoto. The air felt heavy, as if it struggled to create even the slightest wind. The trees reflected the sluggishness of the atmosphere; their branches making absolutely no moment due to the lack of a breeze. Every step Yamamoto took became an effort as well. A dull sense of pressure clouded his thinking. In. Out. In. Out. He had to keep breathing, keep moving. His house couldn't be that much farther away, could it?

That pressure almost completely obscured his vision now. But he swore, out of the corner of his eyes, the scenery was melting. Slowly, trees, rock and the pavement seeped into one dark mass, into inescapable darkness.

He began to fully realize the soreness that his muscles were afflicted with. His leg muscles had turned to stone. Walking was impossible. He had to sit down. Sinking down to his knees, the bat rolled from his grasp. He lost his smile.

The clicking was completely gone.

Something was tugging at his pant leg with great intensity and urgency. Slowly and painfully, he craned his neck around to get a look at his company from over his shoulder.

A small, dark-haired child was crouching down behind him. He, or she (his vision was too blurred to be absolutely sure), was quiet for a few seconds, and then began to speak in a very small voice.

"Are you alright?"

Instead of a response, Yamamoto's breathing became even more labored.

"Are you not feeling well?"

A breath rushing out of him, his thighs hit the pavement, followed by his chest and head.

"I can help you. I can make the exhaustion go away."

His bones were made of steel; his muscles hardened to rocks. He was frozen.

He couldn't even see it, but he was sure there was a grin on that child's face.

"Come, come into my world."

Those shadows that stretched long from under the trees, they were strangling him. They wrapped their long, sickly fingers around his every part, their sharp nails puncturing his skin, causing the deep, red blood that poured out of him to create a sharp contrast with the gray pavement.

It hurt. He still couldn't move.

They began to pull, pull him in four directions, each hand's talons fully impaled in an appendage. Slowly they began to tear him apart at the seams of his skin.

Yamamoto went numb.

"Welcome, Yamamoto."

The arms raised him up, up towards the sky. The inky blackness had consumed everything, the moon's light completely eradicated. Never had he felt so alone and so numb.

He was above the child, at an angle where if he just shifted his eyes down, he could see it. Looking down at the small figure, color drained from his face.

The thing might have been human, but the bleach white skin and grotesquely distorted features said otherwise. He could see bits of exposed muscle through the gaping wounds that were liberally spread across its body, a sickening mixture of pus and blood oozing through each one. Its arms were rail thin and much too thin for its body, and the legs were even more so. But its face. Its face was what horrified him the most.

It was his own.

Grossly warped and decayed, but it was his own. The same shaggy black hair and thick jawbone, the prominent nose. It was as if he was looking at the decayed corpse of his own twin.

One of his normally brown eyes now had a completely blood red iris.

The numbness began to fade fast. He could feel his skin stretching to its absolute limit. Searing waves of pain flowed into his formerly rock-hard muscles. The pain was too much for him to scream.

It giggled.

His vision was obscured by bright light. He could make out figures, figures dancing toward him in a slow, melancholy dance. It seemed that there were about 5 boys his age, a girl, and a small child. Though their features were blurry, he could plainly see small, sad smiles on each of their faces. They mouthed words to him, words that briefly brushed by his ears, and sped on past him. Closer and closer they danced, their arms outstretched towards him in an offer of comfort. One figure in particular stayed behind. It was one of the boys, and through the bodies coming toward him he could understand the words that came out of his mouth.

"Wake up."

His eyes burst open, a feeling of pure energy pulsing through him. All his formerly paralyzed muscles burst into life again, that energy pounding through his veins instead of blood. His field of vision turned blue.

He knew he had one chance.

He tore the claws from each of his arms, and ripped them from his legs. Dropping to the ground, he saw the baseball bat which he had swung so many times. Grabbing it, he ran straight towards the blackness.

The child kept smiling.

With every ounce of strength his weary muscles and the power flowing through him allowed, he swung at the child. He yelled, screaming with all the intensity that the pain denied him. Blue fire engulfed his vision.

SMASH!

For a moment, as the bat collided with the child's skull, Yamamoto got a fair look at its expression. There was shock and anger in that red eye, but he swore he could just make out a hint of absolutely glee.

The child's body hit the pavement with a crunch.

And then, the world shattered.

The blackness that was so pervasive broke as if it was a mirror than had been dropped onto tile. The pieces of the darkness flew everywhere, and faded into the natural midnight. Those shadowy hands retreated back into their resting spots under the trees, and silence rang out once again.

That blissful energy that had pervaded him slowly filtered out of his system, the normal soreness of overworked muscles crept back in. He realized just how sore his arm was. He couldn't even lift it up. However, when he looked himself over, there were no wounds from clawed hands anywhere, and not a speck of blood graced his clothing. When he tried to comprehend, his head just throbbed in confusion.

The child was gone, he realized at this time. When he had finished checking himself, he turned to look at the child. Where it was, a furry lump remained. When he came closer, he realized it was the cat that had followed him what seemed like hours ago. It was dead.

Picking up the small body, he turned, and headed on course to his house again as fast as he possible could.

* * *

About 10 minutes on the way to school, Tsuna realized that he had a companion. He knew immediately who it was. Nobody else would take such slow, unsure steps around him. When Tsuna stopped, the deliberate steps behind him followed suit.

When he turned around, Gokudera practically jumped into the nearest tree. Once the initial shock wore off, he managed to crack a nervous smile.

"Good morning, bos-Tsuna!"

The boy looked as if he was run over by a semi. Bruises and scabs were everywhere, and Tsuna could plainly see open scratch wounds poorly covered by bandages. One of his eyes was a rather unappealing shade of purple.

_Did…Did I do that?_

With widened eyes, Tsuna just barely gave his greetings. "Good-Good morning."

They stood there for a moment, their previous encounter running through both of their heads. It was a blur to both of them, surely, but the strong feelings of fear and shame were clear as day. All they could do was just stand and wait for the other to make a move. The level of awkwardness rapidly grew with each second, both of them just staring at each other blankly, so Tsuna forced himself to speak.

"That really wasn't…I'm not usually like that." He said quietly, turning away from the other boy to avoid his gaze.

"What?"

"The way I..What I did to you. I'm not like that. I hate fighting with other people." He muttered. Just for a moment, Tsuna wished the baby would come again, anything to distract him from having to confront the boy who he assaulted into a pulp.

The other boy just looked at him in a mixture of shock and annoyance. "But, how can you be a boss while hating fighting?"

"I don't want to be a boss." Tsuna said as quietly as possible, to hide his shame.

Gokudera made a motion as if about to speak, or even worse yell, but nothing came of it. The boy looked as if he wanted to punch Tsuna, but was held back by the knowledge of what would come to him if he did so. So he just stood there, impatiently picking at his scabs.

"So what do you want then?" He said gruffly, not without an air of curiosity.

"All I want is to…"

Tsuna realized halfway through the sentence that he didn't have an answer.

He hadn't really considered it, but with all the protest that he had of being thrown into this life, being dragged by the ankles into a crazy world that he knew nothing about. In just the span of a few days, his expectations of normal had been completely shattered by a baby toting a gun, for god's sake.

He felt as if he had one foot in this world and one foot out. He felt so familiar to these concepts and people, but they all seemed too insane to him from a logical standpoint. He was dragged out of his life to be thrown into a whirlwind of confusion. He was scared. He wanted to desperately go back, back to…

To what?

Inside his head, something maliciously spat those words at him.

What was so important to go back to?

Tsuna tried hard to remember life before he had met Reborn. He had lived a life of isolation and loneliness, which led to apathy and fear conflicting with each other in his head constantly. A life of being alone in his house, staring outside the window at school, and lying face down on his bed, waiting for the sun to go down before sleeping. Life was a routine, a boring, lonely routine, but a familiar routine that offered no surprises.

Was he truly happy like that?

This new life that had sprouted up in a matter of days had given him an expectation for something new each day, and for the future, even if it was terrifying. The newfound power within him gave him something to rely on, even if his social skills were terrible. Even if he couldn't call them friends, he had gained two-no, three people that actually acknowledged his existence, and even cared, if only just for his power or presence. He had gained substance to his life, scary, painful, and familiar substance, but substance nonetheless.

He was beginning to realize the reason as to why he felt those strings pulling him along the way.

He wanted to live. This life offered a chance at actually living, rather than just existing, as he had for so long. This life was pulling him forward because there was no life to go back to.

It was a crazy world he was entering, but he had to keep going forward. No matter what, he had to.

He looked directly into the other boy's shocked eyes.

"All I want to survive. No matter what."

Gokudera was quiet for a moment, and then gave a small smile.

"That's good enough."

The boys stared at each for a moment.

"…We should get going before we're late." Tsuna said, quickly turning away before he could see the look in the other boy's eyes.

Gokudera followed him without complaint.

* * *

Tentatively, she took steps forward.

It was a space that she had never seen before, never heard of before, never even imagined before. It was a lake, perfectly circular, completely surrounded by trees of amorphous shape, constantly changing despite the lack of moving wind. The sky was dark, void of stars but with a red moon glaring a harsh light down on the landscape. The illumination created ever flowing shadows of the trees, making the entire place seem as if it was in motion. And yet, the night was still.

She stood in the center of the lake, her feet just barely grazing the surface of the water. With each unsure step she took, small ripples burst from her feet, to ride the water towards the edge of the lake, the trees, fading into the harsh light.

She did not know this place. She did not know where she was headed. She lacked an origin.

_I don't know if I care._

Every step caused more and more ripples, but each lacked any sound.

_I share no ties to where I was, no bonds to shape me. Why should I be afraid of moving forward?_

The girl stopped, and cast her gaze towards the red moon.

_Is this death?_

_Should I be afraid?_

_Nobody will miss me._

_Nobody will grieve me._

_Nobody will remember my name._

_Nobody will know what is the thing that is called "I"._

_Should I care if I live or die?_

…

_I don't know._

_There is nothing tempting me towards life, there is nothing tempting me towards death. I neither know nor care what is behind me, and what is forward is a mystery._

The girl looked down at the ripples slowing emanating from her feet.

_Because I am empty. _

_My life has been nothing, and I have followed suit. _

_I lack reason, I lack direction, I lack…_

_Do I lack a self?_

_I am me, I am myself, I am I. _

…

_I don't know._

Somebody grabbed her hands, and held them out slightly in front of her. She felt something whisper in hear ear softly, their breath warm against her skin.

_But is this self truly empty? _

_Is your existence truly without meaning and reason? _

The breath drew closer to her ear. Something, a shadow perhaps, was embracing her.

_This world, my world, can give you reason. _

_Because I too, am incomplete. I doubt my existence as well. I know what you are._

She felt a hand on her cheek, and the vague sensation of an eye's gaze falling upon her face.

_Quite simply, I need you. _

_Won't you take a risk at gaining one tie with someone who truly needs you? _

The girl looked up, and found a pair of mismatched eyes looking back at her. While the moon's light made any details hard to see, she could tell it was a boy, not too much older than she, albeit taller, with dark hair like hers. His smile carried traces of care yet insincerity.

The image of a black-haired boy looking doing on her with equal parts anger and something unrecognizable flashed across her field of vision.

She knew she had a choice, but something else was pulling her in one direction.

She could start to care.

She could find what "I" was.

She could become whole.

She had made up her mind.

"I will."

* * *

AN: Sorry for the wait… School is absolutely nuts….

Not much to say, but sometime soon an interesting group of characters might decide to show their faces.

Until then!


End file.
